Mrs. Goebel was born to Guy and Jeanne Bell on Nov. 2, 1949, in Farmington. After graduating from Farmington High School in 1967, she graduated from Tennessee Temple College in 1971 and California State University in 1978.

Mrs. Goebel began her elementary school teaching career in 1972 at Grace Baptist School in Redding, Calif., where she taught until 2000. She specialized in teaching children who had difficulties reading.

On April 2, 1999, she married Clark Goebel in Redding. In 2000, the couple moved to Prescott Valley, where Mrs. Goebel continued to teach until her health worsened in 2010.

“Nancy was a strong-willed, smart woman who had a lot of spunk,” her family said. “She was small in stature but big in heart. Nancy loved the Lord and children and was truly gifted in teaching.”

Mrs. Goebel is survived by her husband of 13 years, Clark Goebel, of Prescott Valley; sisters Patricia Wright of Ignacio and Martha Moyer of Sikeston, Mo.; brothers Eldon Bell of Farmington and Lloyd Bell of Bloomfield, N.M.; eight nephews, one niece, two great-nephews and one great-niece.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. today, Jan. 25, 2013, at Grace Baptist Church, 2200 Sullivan Ave., in Farmington.